The Badges of Christianity, Book 3 · Chapter 8
Chap. 8. Of the first inward part of the Lords supper.
HItherto we hauehave spoken of the outward parts of this Sacrament, by doing whereof confirmation is performed: aWhat are the inwarde partes of the Lo. Suppernow follow the inward parts to be considered. For in Sa. we must consider not what they be of themselues, but what baugust. cont. maximin. li. 3.they signifie vntounto vsus, These inward partes are foure in number, to wit, the father, the spirit, the body & blood of christ, and the faithfull. All these hauehave a Sacramentall relation to the outwarde partes, and declare the inwarde truth of them. The actions of the minister, are notes of the actions of God the father: the word of institution is made effectuall by the holy spirit: the breade and wine are signes and seales, representing the bodye and blood of Christ: the outward actions of eueryevery receiuer, do note out the inwarde actions and spirituall workes of the faithfull. Thus then the agreement answeareth aptly, and the proportion falleth fully betweene the parts, cThe agreemēt between the outward and inward partesAs the Minister by the words of institution, offereth vntounto the communicants the bread and wine to feed thereupon corporally and bodily: so GOD the Father, by the Spirit offereth and giueth the body and blood of CHRIST, to the faithfull receiuers to feede vppon them spiritually.
Now then, let vsus remember the sencible and externall actions of the Minister, that thereby we may consider the spirituall and inward actions of God the Father. And first of all, the taking of the bread and wine into his hands, and the consecrating or blessing of them by reapeating the promise, by …, and thanksgiuings, doth seale vp these holie actions of God the father, by which he from all eternity euen before the foundation of the world, did seperate, elect, ordaine, chuse, and call his son to performe the osfice of a mediator between god and man: and when the fulnes of time came did send him into the worlde, to performe that Osfice, whereunto he was appointed. This we see proued vntounto vsus in many places, as Iohn, 6. Labour not for the meat which …, but for the meat that endureth vntounto euerlasting life, which the sonne of man shall giuegive vntounto you: for him dIohn 6, …hath God the father sealed, that is, hath installed him into his office, to reconcile men vntounto God, and to bring them to euerlasting life. And Ch. Iesus gaue himself, that he might deliuer vsus from this present euill world, eGalath. 1, 4according to the will of God euen our father: so that whatsoeuer Christ did, he did it by the will and appoinment of his Father. According to the testimony of the Apostle, Heb, 5, Christ took not to himself … honor, to be made the high Priest, fHebru. 5, 5but he that saide vntounto him, … art my sonne, this day I begat thee, gaue it him. And as the father ordained him to that office, so in time he sent him, as the Euangelist …. gLuke. 4, 18The spirit of the L. is vponupon me, because he hath annointed me, that I should preach the … to the poore, bind vp the broken hearted, preach liberty to the captiues, &c. So likewise 1 Iohn 4. Heerein is that louelove, not that we loued God, but that he loued vsus, and hIohn 4, 10sent his sonne to be areconciliation for our sinnes. And Gal. 4, When the fulnesse of time was come, God sent … his sonne made of a …, and made vnderunder the lawe, that hee might redeeme them that are vnderunder the lawe. Thus we see the inwarde actions of God the Father, aunswearing to the outwarde actions of the Minister.
Now, let vsus come to the vses of this part. First of all, this sealing and sending of his sonne, serueth to confirme vse. …and assure vsus of our saluation in Christ. For seeing GOD hath … and appointed him into this office, our faith cannot faile, our confidence cannot fall, our hope cannot make ashamd, iRom, 5, 5seeing the louelove of God is thus shed abroad in our harts through the Holyghost, kRom. …, 16who beareth Witnes with our spirit, that we are the children of God, and by whom we lEph. 4, 30are sealed vntounto the day … redemption. Againe, let vsus seeke saluation no where else then in him alone, whome God the Father hath sealed, and set apart to that end. For euen as the body is norished by no other meates and drinkes then by such as mDeut, 8, 3 Math 14, 4God hath appointed to this purpose, nEzek, 4, 13 Lenit, 26, 26as a staffe to sustaine vsus: so is the soule fed by no other meanes then God hath before ordained. The cause of our saluation is in the louelove of God toward vsus, which is notably represented by the taking & blessing of the outward elements. He might hauehave left vsus to our selues, to work out our own destruction: but his mercy is greater then his iustice.
Thirdly, by these outward actions of the minister, wee must seeke confirmation and strength of our faith, being assured vse. 3that God the father tooke his sonne, and appointed him to these endes. We must not wander and gaze about, and thinke we hauehave nothing to do, but when we take and receiue the bread and the cup into our hands: we must in eueryevery sacramentall rite consider the thinges signified, and ponder in our hearts the fitnesse and agreement betweene them both. So then, as we behold with our bodily eies the minister (representing the person of the father) taking, blessing, and separating the bread and wine to that bodily vse: so surely and certainely we must learne that God the father hath ordained and sent his only begotten sonne, oMath. 17. 5 & 3. xviiin whom he is well pleased, to bee the meditator for the pardon of our sinnes. Hence we see the infinite louelove of God toward vsus: and let vsus labor to comprehend pEph, 3. xvi: i xix.the length, bredth, height, and depth therof, that spared not qRom. 32.his owne sonne, but gaue him for vsus all vntounto the death: hence we see, that exceeding compassion of the sonne, that loued his enemies more then himselfe, and accounted not his owne life precious to himselfe: hence we see the gratious and glorious worke of our redemption, wherin the mercy and iustice of God rPsal. 85, 10meete together, and kisse each other, teaching vsus to take sweete delight and comfort in the meditation thereof day and night withal thanksgiuing: hence wee hauehave assurance of saluation and consolation in all troubles and tentations: hence we see the greatnesse of our owne sinnes that could not be pardoned, but by the death of the son of God, and therefore we must hate them with an vnfained hatred as our greatest, most dangerous and deadly enemies: and lastly, hence wee see, that if God the father thus loued vsus, we ought earnestly to louelove him againe, and to serue him in all duties of holynesse and true righteousnes: neyther ought we to louelove him onelyonly, but for him all our brethren, as the Apostle reasoneth, s1 Iohn 4. xiBrethren, if God so loued vsus, wee ought to louelove one another.
Thus we hauehave shewed, how the taking of the bread by the minister, signifyeth the fathers appointing of his sonne: the ministers blessing, the fathers separating and setting a part his sonne to his office: the minsters deliuering of the bread, the fathers giuing of his sonne. If then wee drawe neere to the Lords table with faith, reuerence, and repentance, nothing can be more sure & certain to vsus, then the taking & receiuing of Christ, for when we receiue the bred from the minister, we with all receiue the body of christ offered by the hand of God the father.
Lastly, the breaking of the breade, pouring out of the wine, and deliuering of them both into the handes of the vse. 4.communicants, … these actions of God, his chastising of his sonne, and breaking him with sorrowes vppon the crosse for our redemption, offering him vntounto all, euen vntounto hypocrites, and giuing him truely to the faithfull with all the benefits of his passion. Indeed, the minister giueth the outwarde signes to all receiuers; but God giueth and applyeth onelyonly to the faithfull, the shedding of Christes blood for their daily increase of their faith and repentance. But heere it may be obiected, that not a bone of him was Obiectionbroken. tExod. xii. 46as it was figured by the passeouer, and performed at his passion: the verifieng and accomplishment whereof we read Iohn, 19. 36. I answere, there is a dubble Answerebreaking of Christ: one corporall, whereof the places before do speak: the other figuratiuely, wherby is vnderstood, uEsay. 53. 4. 5he was tormented and euen torne with paines, as Esa. 53. He was wounded for our transgressions, and broken for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was vppon him, and with his stripes we are healed. Lo what is ment by the breaking of the bread, his soule was tormented, his spirit was crushed, his hands and feet were pierced, he sweat drops of Water and blood, and cryed out aloud vponupon the crosse, aMath. 27, 46My God my god why hast thou for saken me. Wherefore let these rights be rightly marked and obserued of vsus for our comfort and consolation: Let vsus, when we see the breade broken and wine poured out, meditat on the passion of christ howe hee was wounded and torne for our transgressions. Although not a bone of his body was broken in pieces, yet he was broken with afflictions, brused with sorrowes, and tormented with bitter anguish of his soule, by whose stripes we are healed, by whose condemnation we are iustified, by whose agonies we are comforted, by whose death we are quickned. Whosoeuer resteth in the outward works done before his eies, neuer attaineth to the substāce of the sacrament. Thus much of the first inward part.